Brazil’s new middle class in I Love Paraisópolis telenovela: the effects of meaning of society

Abstract

This paper analyses the discursive construction of Brazil’s new middle class (also called new class C) in the Brazilian telenovela (soap opera) I Love Paraisópolis, applying French semiotics as theoretical reference. Therefore, the first chapter of this telenovela, broadcasted by Rede Globo, in 2015, is taken as corpus. In the story, the main character, Marizete, lives in Paraisópolis favela, in São Paulo. It is noticeable, in this case, that the new class C does not play a peripheral part, but stars the central plot in the script. Thereby, acknowledging that the Brazil’s new middle class has privileged locus in the favela the telenovela is named after, the scenes are analyzed concerning the narrative and discursive levels of the generative path of meaning. Finally, taking into account Landowski’s (2002) model about the modes of relation to the otherness, it is presented how the relations between city and favela are established, also considering some elements of visual language. This pathway, therefore, allows to understand some of the social configurations in I Love Paraisópolis, considering, evidently, this society as an effect of meaning.

Keywords
telenovela; Brazil’s new middle class; french semiotics